A surprise change has taken place in the Morocco World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT. Overnight, Walt Disney World Resort removed traces of a long-closed restaurant in the area, sparking questions about the future.
According to a report by WDWNT on September 9, the sign for Restaurant Marrakesh was taken down from a walkway near the entrance to the long-closed restaurant. While the gold circular hanging sign still remains, it’s been left with visible fading and holes from where the former restaurant’s name had been attached. The red logo has also been completely removed.
Restaurant Marrakesh has been closed since the parks reopened following the COVID-19 shutdowns in 2020, and it never returned to service. Like many dining locations in the EPCOT World Showcase, Restaurant Marrakesh wasn’t operated by Walt Disney World Resort, but rather by Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant, LLC. Disney took control of the restaurant’s operations in October 2020 after a legal dispute with the previous third-party operators. Since then, the space has been used for temporary offerings, such as a Florida Blue lounge, an Annual Passholder lounge, and a guest resting area.
A new Walt Disney World Passholder-exclusive lounge is opening in Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT from May 1 to June 18, 2024, from noon to 8:00 PM daily as part of V.I.PASSHOLDER Days.
Although Disney regained control over the Morocco Pavilion dining area, Restaurant Marrakesh has yet to reopen, and the space is currently closed off to EPCOT guests. Walt Disney World Resort’s website still lists the restaurant as “temporarily unavailable,” but it’s unclear what the long-term plans for the space are.
Once a cultural and dining highlight of EPCOT’s World Showcase, this location now stands quiet and closed off. Walt Disney World Resort has not commented publicly on these changes, and there are no official updates on whether any new offerings will be introduced to replace the space.
Did you dine at Restaurant Marrakesh at EPCOT before it closed? Disney Dining would love to hear your memories in the comments!
We ate at Restaurant Marrakesh 20 years ago with my MIL and toddler as part of our group. We so wanted to love it, but we were shocked when we entered as the very first guests of the day and the tablecloths were dirty! The food was decent, the entertainment was lovely, but it’s difficult to really enjoy yourself when you’re constantly checking plates, utensils, and glassware to see if they’ve been properly cleaned. The tablecloths weren’t just a little stained, there were food spills.
The last time we ate there was in 2009 when we took our 6-year-old to eat there. I remember the fabulous food, the belly dancers, and the awe and wonder of the tiles and art of the area. We loved the food and were sad to learn it closed when we were finally able to become passholders. It just isn’t the same anymore.
Isn’t this where the Blue Lounge (?) is opening?
We ate there many, many times. It was our favorite restaurant in all of WDW. Very sad to hear that they took the sign down, we were hoping it would reopen.
Sad news. It was so unique and such a different experience. I remember eating there and we were saying how a belly dancer would complete the experience, and then one came out.
We always loved this restaurant. For years it was one of our must do dining experiences. My daughter even selected one of its menu options to be included in her reception dinner after her Disney wedding.